Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-04-09
THE ~GUILLOTINE.
Oleveland's Administration
False Pretanaas

Special correspondence of the I~HrER-OckAN.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-The difference
between 1885 and 1887 is very great in.
deed. Two years ago the o~fice-seekers
were here in swarms. They haunted
the white house and the departments.
They were in oil OF the hotel Hobbies,
and made the streets dark and dense
with their throngs. Loud and long
were their pronunciamentos; and the
walls of the hungry and thirsty seekers
after, pap were heard in the land. No
hunters were more indefatigable p; few
could have been more skillful and hope.
full. But they bagged no game. On
every hand they were met with declar-
atoms of civil service reform principles /;
and their principal Alphabetically at
tended to-was to damn the civil
service law, uphill and down. The
president determined not to be in Il
hurry. The ofice-seekers and political
leaders determined that he should hurry.
But he wouldn't. Now they have all
learned that he is as obstinate as the
worst of them, and a little more so !;
and they let him have his own way
completely. Two years ago, when they
were hurrying him, Mr.. Cleveland said :
There will be no Republicans in Office
In 80" but they didn't believe him.
Now is the accepted time: behold now
is the day Of their salvation. The de-
capitatlon mill has commenced to grind.
1t was predicted in these columns last
December that the. Republicans would
be turned out with the flowers that
bloom in the spring, ira Ia. The proph-
ecy is being fulfilled. First and foremost
the heads Of the Republican postmasters
at Aberdeen, Brookings, -Deyils Lake
and Redfeld rolled into the basket.
They were taken up In alphabetical
order and swept under the CORY govern
ment guillotine. Twas ever thus. TO
the victors belong the spoils I; and they
who gamble on any other political doc
trine will lose on every turn of the cards.
The civil service lAw is ~ whopping
farce and the sooner the people get
that fact through their noodles the bet
ter for them. l have sat me down here
and seen the good men under the spoils
system retained in their places because
of their efficiency despite the mandates
of the spolls,nen. I have seen senators
and representatives beg for places,
under the spoils system and yet the
clerks ere protected, because they
were efficient, and the departments
needed their services. Under the era
of reform, under the aegis Of the civil
service law, I have seen efficient and
tried officials turned out in the cold
merely because they were Republicans.
The law protects no one. 1t simply
hampers the executive de~partlhtEsSs
in the matter e71L,:iie appointments.
The secretary u the interior
eau dismiss anyone that he pleases
and so can the other heads of de.
partments without asking for or giving
a cause. But a new appointment cau-
not be made without asking the permits
sion Of the civil service commission. Il
is not only q useless law, but it is uncon'
stitutional. The party which is respon
sible for the management of the execu'
tive departments should be permitted te
appoint men and women of its own Sc
lection to administer the offices withou,
being compelled to. call on commission
for a permission. Imagine a wholesale
grocer or a railroad magnate who EN-
ploys Thousands Of hands permitting thu
dictation Of a commission of stranger